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A.1522 | EcoArt 2002
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Name: A.1522
Reference: EcoArt 2002
Description: This alliance is found in the steppe regions in the Intermountain West of the U.S. Sites typically occur in deep, generally alluvial soils of fans, swales and draws in basins and foothills. The vegetation is characterized by a moderate to dense herbaceous layer dominated by perennial graminoids, with ~Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata$ or ~Artemisia tridentata ssp. xericensis$ dominating or codominating the open to moderately dense (10-40% cover) short-shrub layer (<2 m tall). The herbaceous layer generally has >20% cover of perennial graminoids and is typically dominated by bunch grasses which may form a matrix surrounding the shrubs or occur in patches. The most widespread and common species is ~Pseudoroegneria spicata$, which occurs from the Columbia Basin to the northern Rockies. Other locally important species include ~Koeleria macrantha, Elymus elymoides, Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata)$, and ~Poa secunda$. Associated shrubs include ~Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus), Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Grayia spinosa, Tetradymia canescens, Gutierrezia sarothrae$, and ~Artemisia frigida$. Forbs are generally of low importance and highly variable across the range of the alliance. A cryptogamic soil crust is often present and will cover the ground surface in undisturbed stands. Diagnostic of this alliance is a moderate (>20% cover) perennial graminoid layer with an ~Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata$- or ~Artemisia tridentata ssp. xericensis$-dominated (or codominated) shrub layer that has 10-40% cover. ~Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata$ and/or ~Artemisia tridentata ssp. xericensis$ must contribute at least 40% of the total shrub cover if the shrub layer is mixed. 
Accession Code: VB.CC.1281.A1522
Plot-observations of this Community Concept: 0
      Party Perspective according to: NatureServe (organization)
Perspective from: 26-Nov-1997 to: 17-Mar-2005
     
  • status: accepted
  • Community's Parent: V.A.7.N.e
  • This Community's Level: Alliance
  • This Community's Children: [none]
Names:   Scientific: ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA (SSP. TRIDENTATA, SSP. XERICENSIS) SHRUB HERBACEOUS ALLIANCE
  Code: A.1522
  Common: (Basin Big Sagebrush, Foothill Big Sagebrush) Shrub Herbaceous Alliance
(convergence) and Synonyms:
(undetermined) Artemisia tridentata (ssp. tridentata, ssp. xericensis) Shrub Herbaceous Alliance